[ubuntu 18.04] install iotedgehubdev must use sudo

[czgtest]

steps:

1. pip install --upgrade iotedgehubdev
2. iotedgehubdev --version
   command not found
3. pip uninstall iotedgehubdev
4. sudo pip install --upgrade iotedgehubdev
5. iotedgehubdev --version
   found version 0.6.0

[adashen]

Currently we ask user install root on linux. Please refer to the https://github.com/Azure/iotedgehubdev#installing

By default python user path is not exposed in environment. So close the issue now since it is as designed.

[cicorias]

this should be re-opened. there really isn't a reason why any pip/python package can't run non-sudo and also be used in a python virtual env.

[adashen]

Shawn Cicoria (@cicorias), actually, you could install iotedgehubdev without sudo, but needs make sure the user python script path is exposed. So the tool could be called in any terminal.

[kiranpradeep]

Wei Shen (@adashen) Even if install as user (--user), and expose script path, the command (iotedgehubdev setup -c "xxxxx") attempts to create directories in /var/lib (on Ubuntu 18.04 and macOS 10.13.4) which is limited to root access and fails.

In some corporate environments, anything that needs sudo, will need to be verified or approved introducing delays.

[cicorias]

can you try running the pip install sudo env "PATH=$PATH" <command> --- this is how I've worked around the limitation of iotedgedev tools and hard requirement of root. I agree this is not normal and should still be addressed.

[kiranpradeep]

Shawn Cicoria (@cicorias) Sorry. I couldn't understand the suggested command fully. The aim was to install and use iotedgehubdev with out using sudo.

[XavierGeerinck]

env "PATH=$PATH"

Ah this did it! Commands i ran:

sudo env "PATH=$PATH" pip install iotedgehubdev --upgrade
sudo env "PATH=$PATH" iotedgehubdev setup -C "<DEVICE_CONN_STRING>" -i "<IOT_HUB_CONN_STR>"

Would love to see the install guidelines updated if deemed a correct solution :) too much time wasted settings this up honestly.

Note: when then running in the simulator it will fail, but just add env "PATH=$PATH" after the sudo command and it will work

[XavierGeerinck]

Any update on this? Still blocking a lot of my testing... I keep having to come back to this, it's really NOT developer friendly. Wei Shen (@adashen) whom should I escalate to, to get this supported?

[marianan]

Thanks Xavier Geerinck (@XavierGeerinck) for your question. The simulator tool is by design a system tool and as such requires elevated privileges. The primary scenarios we are focusing on - development and debugging in IDEs as well as CICD DevOps pipelines, are not impacted by this issue. We understand that the requirement for elevated privileges may not be ideal. Please help us understand more in details your exact use case.

[XavierGeerinck]

Hi Mariana Mihova (@marianan),

I fully agree with you that the scope of the simulator is:

• Developer focus
• Tool for development
• Tool to be used with IDEs

Now I spent two days getting it up and running. Personally, how I would like our ideal experience to look like is:

• You start the simulator (I would prefer it if this were manually or done as a service)
• Right click and run the entire project OR run it through CTRL + SHIFT + P and say Run

I would kindly ask some documentation about the requirement for having elevated privileges and a solution on how to properly install it. I'd love to see - for a user such as myself - a easy guide that I can follow step by step.

Sadly enough I spend 2 days just to get the simulator up and running and it's stil broken. This because of an issue with the 'createOption' related to another bug that's opened.

My personal opinion is that this tool could use some user experience. My colleagues agree with me on this.

I'm sorry if I'm being to blunt about this but I hope that by sharing my opinion and experiences with the program we can make some changes. I would certainly love to see how these changes will benefit the IoT Edge platform

[kiran-pradeep-palakkappilil]

Mariana Mihova (@marianan)

The simulator tool is by design a system tool and as such requires elevated privileges

We cannot see any technical reason why this tool requires elevated privileges. If such a reason exists, could that be documented?

[cicorias]

Mariana Mihova (@marianan) running as user is about developer experience and eliminating speed bumps to using the tool. As for sudo, it's just really bad practice to require it as it's essentially a user tool and nothing to do with the "system". You've limited usage by enforcing sudo elevation and I'm sure if the time were committed this could run sans sudo.

[marianan]

The changes to run iotedgehubdev as user are ready. Please try the latest version 0.14.14

[XavierGeerinck]

Awesome! Thanks a lot on this, will try it out somewhere this week